Using Genetic Testing to Address Disparities in Care for Kidney Disease

African Americans are four times more likely than Whites to suffer from end-stage kidney disease. In part, that’s because of genetic causes underlying kidney-disease being more common in people of African descent. A recent study suggests that genetic testing and genetic counseling to patients of African ancestry changed behaviors and lowered their risk of developing kidney disease. We spoke to Maggie Westemeyer, a genetic counselor with the clinical genetic testing company Natera, about the genetic risks of kidney disease, racial health disparities, and how genetic testing can be used to address that and improve outcomes for patients.